Niihau is inhabited, but you are probably not going to get to visit. It is privately owned. There is no electricity, plumbing, or ammenities of any kind, and the language spoken is Hawaiian. The village of Puuwai is the main settlement on Niihau.

In 1864 there was an unusually rainy year, and the island became lush with grasses. The Robinson family purchased the island from King Kamehameha and some land on Kauai for $10,000 in gold. Niihau promptly returned to its usual 12 inches or less of annual rainfall.

For many years the island and its inhabitants have been jealously guarded by the family, and it has remained a single bastion against the outside world.

At one time during World War II, a japanese pilot washed ashore, and held the inhabitants at bay for several days. Using whatever weapons were at hand, they captured the pilot during what is known as 'the battle of Niihau'.

Today the Robinsons may be forced to let the island go. The land they hold on Kauai, which they sold as needed to fund the island that they ran at a loss, has been re-zoned against their will as natural reserve land. They can no longer sell land to fund the Niihau Ranch, and are looking for a good alternative to selling it off to developers. One option is to let the Navy have part of the island for a much needed radar base in exchange for the continued isolation of the islanders. Another is a land-exchange with the federal government for land on the mainland.

There was at one time a helicopter tour service that the Robinsons ran, but it has been sold, and the service is no more. There are still many out of date websites offering this nonexistent service.